Temporary door



July 9, 1963 M. J. FORD ETAL TEMPORARY DOOR Filed Jan. 9, 1959 ATTORNEYS.

United States PatentO 3,096,814 TEMPORARY DOOR Michael J. Ford, Hartsdale, N.Y., and Barton H. Ford, ()maha, Nebn, assignors, by mesne assignments, of one-half to International Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York, and one-half to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 785,858 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-113) This invention relates to a temporary door, and, more particularly, to a temporary door to be installed across the doorway of a grain-carrying freight car, or similar vehicle.

The problem that has long confronted shippers of grain is the provision of a temporary door which is strong enough to Withstand the force of the surging grain yet is lightweight and inexpensive so as to be truly temporary. It will be immediately recognized that if the door is fabricated strongly enough so as to be able to withstand, just by itself, the harsh stresses imposed by the grain, it probably -will no longer be considered disposable after a single use, so that the desired temporary character is lost. Those Working in this field have long since departed from ponderous barricades made up of timbers, and the general practice now is to make use of a flexible panel reinforced by horizontally-extending metal straps. These straps are anchored at their ends in the vertical door posts that help define the freight car doorway, so that the thrust of the grain against the door under the numerous jerks, jolts, start-ups and stops of the freight car is transmitted to the wooden posts. Often upwards of 140,000 lbs. of grain are shipped in a car, and the surging of this material tends to bow the temporary closure outwardly and apply a rupturing stress to the door posts. Large spikes are employed to secure the straps to the door posts, and these are driven into the post at an angle to make the strap ends secure, even under the heavy stresses.

From this, it will be appreciated that after a number of temporary doors have been installed across a given doorway, the framing posts are literally pockmarked with nail holes. Weakened or rotted portions of the door posts are inadequate for securing the straps, thereby raising the possibility of premature detachment. The detachment of a single strap may result in a loss way out of proportion to that expected. The granular material tends to enlarge any crevice or opening, so that there is a possibility of losing large quantities of grain where only a small leak first occurs.

The present usage, i.e., the strap-equipped flexible panels, poses another problem which arises during the unloading operation. Conventionally, two techniques are employed for unloading. One can be characterized as automatic, in which the freight car is lifted and tilted so as to literally pour the grain out of the car into a hopper. In the course of the tilting, a ram or similar device is employed to punc the temporary door into the car and provide a grain escape opening. Where from 75 to 100 nails are employed to secure the straps to the door posts, and many of these at an angle, it can be seen that a large number of rupturing stresses are applied to these posts.

The other unloading technique is more of a manual operation, in which the flexible panel is first ruptured to permit a portion of the grain to naturally flow out of the car. Thereafter, it is again necessary to remove the straps, again by a punching operation or perhaps a shearing operation. In any event, the initial discharge is limited because the straps are ordinarily closely spaced so that even though the flexible panel of the temporary door be removed, a considerable obstruction still exists.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel temporary door for grain-carrying freight cars, or the like, which overcomes the dlfl'lCllltlCS and problems outlined above. Another object is to provide a temporary door which is effective to transmit the stresses developed by grain pressure to the door posts in a manner minimizing any rupturing tendency. Still another object is to provide a temporary door made up of a generally rectangular panel equipped with horizontally-extending beam members which are substantially resistant to deformation or deflection laterally of the door and which are, therefore, effective to distribute the stress more uniformly on the door posts than previously-employed closures. Yet another object is to provide a temporary door which includes a plurality of bar-like beam members mounted in inwardly-extending, integral ribs developed in the lightweight panel, the beam members being adjacent the outer side of the panel which permits the beam members and ribs to be perforated for the installation of crossties with out resorting to any panel aperture which might develop into a grain-escape opening.

A further object is to provide a novel temporary door for a freight car in which beam members are incorporated into the panel of the door and are secured to the door posts in a novel manner and one that substantially reduces the number of nails or other securing means necessary. Still another object is to provide a novel procedure for the fabrication of a temporary door which permits the door to be transported to the site of installation in a number of ways and which provides a door, when installed, which is characterized by numerous advantages not possessed by prior art structures. Other objects and advantages of this invention can be seen as this specification proceeds.

The invention, in an illustrative embodiment, will be explained in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which- FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of 1a boxcar, the doorways of which are equipped with closures embodying the teachings of this invention;

:FIG. 2 is an enlarged crossasectional view, taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

)FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a temponary door embodying teachings of the invention in a form it might take during shipment or storage prior to actual installation.

In the illustration given, the numeral 10 designates the floor of a boxcar A, while the numerals 11 designate the vertical doorway framing posts of the car A. The doorway itself is designated by the numeral 12, and the doorway 12 is closed by a temporary door generally designated 13. The door 13 is seen to extend across the doorway 12 and abut the inner surfaces of the posts 11. In accordance with conventional practice, the door 13 is equipped with a top board 14 and a pry-board 15. A portion of the door 13 extends horizontally inwardly and under the pry-board 15 to provide a floor flap 16.

As is best seen in FIG. '1, the generally rectangular door 13 is equipped with a plurality of inwardly-extending, horizontally-disposed ribs 117. The ribs 17 can be formed by folding the door 13 on itself along three equally spacedapart, horizontally-extending lines 17a, 17b and 170, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the illustration given, the door 13 is constructed of a corrugated paperboard having a core 18 interposed between an inner liner 19 and an outer liner 20. To provide the fold lines 17a, 17b and 17 c, the door 13 can be scored as by partially crushing the core 18 as at 18a in FIG. 2.

Mounted within each rib 17 (and here it is appreciated that any number can be conveniently employed, depending upon the degree of reinforcement desired, the height of the door, etc.) is a beam member 21, best seen in FIGS.

2 and 3. The beam member, as illustrated, is a metal bar of generally rectangular cross section, with the longer cross-sectional dimension disposed transversely of the door 13, i.e., horizontally. The beam member .21 in this position is substantially resistant to horizontal deflection, and therefore is elfective to distribute the stress of the grain more or less uniformly across the door posts 11 against which the beam members 21 bear. For example, a doorway of from 6 to 12 feet in Width can be satisfactorily barricaded through the employment of a flexible panel equipped with ribs :17 and which carry metal beam memboss 21 having cross-sectional dimensions of one inch by one-eighth inch.

If desired, the scoring or folding along line 17b can be of a width substantially that of the beam member thickness, as could be provided through the use of a one-eighth inch wide scoring wheel. This results in a generally rectangular rib which conforms to the shape of the beam member 21 and minimizes any rupturing tendency of the beam member. The rupturing tendency of the beam member can also be minimized by rounding the corners of the beam member 21 as at 21a in FIG. 2. Equally satisfactory results are obtained, however, Where the configuration of the rib 17 is generally V-shaped, the width of the scoring line 1% providing an additional advantage in so far as eliminating point contact is concerned.

The door 13, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is secured to the posts 11 by means of clamp members 22. The clamp members 22 are generally U-shaped in configuration and, therefore, conform substantially to the shape of the rib 17. The clamp members 22 are equipped with verticallyextending flanges 23 which are apertured for the receipt of nails 24, the nails 24 extending into the posts 11. Preferably, the clamp members 22 possess a springy character which tends to force the vertically-extending flanges together and thus tightly grip the rib 17 and immobilize the beam member 21 against any twisting or torsional tendency.

The beam member 21 may be conveniently maintained position within the rib 17 through the application of adhesive 25 between adjacent faces of the rib '17 to secure the faces together.

The doors 13, as seen in FIG. 1, are united together by crossties 26 which extend across the car A and through apertures 27 in the various ribs .17. The apertures 27, in extending through ribs 17, also extend through the beam members 21 and lie inside of the main inner surface of the door 13. This is in direct contrast to previouslyemployed crosstie structures Where it was necessary to pierce the flexible panel and secure the crosstie member to a vertically-extending bar, or the like, positioned on the outer panel surface. With the structure herein described, there is no puncture or perforation in the grainconiining surface of the panel which could ultimately develop into a leak.

In the operation of the door 13, the door may be provided as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, or, alternatively, as seen in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the beam members v21 are adhesively secured between adjacent scoring lines, one of which is an outer line of the three lines forming each -group-the door 13 of FIG. 3 being transported to the site of installation in a substantially flat condition. The development of the ribs 17 from the FIG. 3 structure can be achieved conveniently when the door 13 is positioned against the posts 11, the clamping members 22 aiding in maintaining the [fold portions in the desired rib configuration. Here, it is to be appreciated that the clamping members 22 can be provided either integrally with the door 13, or separately. If provided with the door, they can be lightly adhesively secured to the door for ready use. However, we prefer to provide the clamping members 22 separate from the door 13 so that the clamping members 22 can be positioned as desired by the installing workman. Variations in door width, therefore, can be conveniently compensated for.

To install the door 13, it is only necessary to drive the nails 24 into the posts 11 and apply the top board 14 and the pry-board 15 in a conventional manner. With this structure, only a limited number of nails 24 are required, as illustrated, 16 per door. This compares most favorably with current practice, where upwards of 75 nails are required for each door. Still further, the nails 24 here may be driven perpendicularly to the inner face of the post 11, and not at the angle previously employed for tensioning of the previously-used straps. Thus, When the unloading operation is performed, the ram is effective to disengage the temporary door quickly and Without any substantial rupturing or tearing action on the posts 11.

A wide variety of materials can be employed to fabricate the door 13. An important characteristic of the beam members 21 is that they are substantially resistant to deflection under the weight of grain in a direction that is lateral of the main surface of the door 13. The door 13, as pointed out above, can be conveniently constructed of corrugated paperboard. When this is done and the flutes are disposed transversely of the length of the beam members 21, an effective transmittal of stress from the grain to the posts 11 is achieved. Satisfactory results can be obtained with many other types of flexible materials making up the panel portion of the door. If laminated sheets are employed, it is often desirable to reinforce the panel in the regions of folding so as to minimize any tendency to rupture.

While, in the foregoing specification, We have described an embodiment of the invention in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, many variations in the details herein given may be appreciated by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination, a grain-carrying freight car equipped with oppositely-disposed doorways defined by vertically-extending framing posts, a temporary door extending across each doorway and overlapping the interior of said framing posts, means securing each door to its associated framing posts, each door comprising a generally planar, rectangular paperboard panel folded along a plurality of spaced-apart, parallel fold lines to provide a rib adapted to extend laterally perpendicularly from the plane of said panel, said rib, in the cross section thereof extending perpendicular to said fold lines, having a dimension perpendicular to said plane greater than the rib dimension parallel to said plane, means for reinforcing said rib, said ribs being disposed to face the interior of said car and extending generally horizontally, and a tie wire extending between and connected to the ribs of said door panels free of any connection to said panels outside the outermost of said fold lines.

2. In combination, a grain-carrying freight car equipped with oppositely-disposed doorways defined by vertically-extending framing posts, a temporary door extending across each doorway and overlapping the interior of said framing posts, means securing each door to its associated framing posts, each door comprising a generally planar, rectangular paperboard panel equipped with a corrugated core, said panel being folded along a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart fold lines to provide a rib adapted to extend inwardly and perpendicularly from the plane of said panel, said rib, in the cross section thereof extending perpendicular to said fold lines, having a dimension perpendicular to said plane greater than the rib dimension parallel to said plane, means for reinforcing said rib, means on said panel maintaining the portion thereof between the outermost of said fold lines in rib form, the flutes of said corrugated core extending generally perpendicularly to said fold lines, and a tie wire extending between and connected to the ribs of said door panels.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Weiss Jan. 8, 1952 Martin Mar. 27, 1956 5 Williamson June 4, 1957 Leslie Feb. 4, 1958 Hill Feb. 8, 1958 6 Ford July 29, 1958 Pierson June 30, 1959 Bruce Jan. 12, 1960 Ford Feb. 20, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden Feb. 11, 1958 

1. IN COMBINATION, A GRAIN-CARRYING FREIGHT CAR EQUIPPED WITH OPPOSITELY-DISPOSED DOORWAYS DEFINED BY VERITICALLY-EXTENDING FRAMING POSTS, A TEMPORARY DOOR EXTENDING ACROSS EACH DOORWAY AND OVERLAPPING THE INTERIOR OF SAID FRAMING POSTS, MEANS SECURING EACH DOOR TO ITS ASSOCIATED FRAMING POSTS, EACH DOOR COMPRISING A GENERALLY PLANAR, RECTANGULAR PAPERBOARD PANEL FOLDED ALONG A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APART, PARALLEL FOLD LINES TO PROVIDE A RIB ADAPTED TO EXTEND LATERALLY PERPENDICULARLY FROM THE PLANE OF SAID PANEL, SAID RIB, IN THE CROSS SECTION THEREOF EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FOLD LINES, HAVING A DI-MENSION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PLANE GREATER THAN THE RIB DIMENSION PARALLEL TO SAID PLANE, MEANS FOR REINFORCING SAID RIB, SAID RIBS BEING DISPOSED TO FACE THE INTERIOR OF SAID CAR AND EXTENDING GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY, AND A TIEE WIRE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND CONNECTED TO THE RIBS OF SAID DOOR PANELS FREE OF ANY CONNECTION TO SAID PANELS OUTSIDE THE OUTERMOST OF SAID FOLD LINES. 